Blood-Kissed Sky (Darkness Before Dawn) (17 page)

“What are you talking about?”

“With me. The way I look. You haven’t peered in my eyes for five minutes; you’ve just studied my face, the scars, my hands, wondering, analyzing.”

“No, it’s not that, it’s …”

“I look better from far away.”

What’s wrong with me tonight? I can’t think of lies quickly enough. Normally I’d be deflecting this kind of thing left and right. Is it the train? Is it Ian? Is it the dream that seemed so real?

“When I did my first interview, after killing Lord Percy, they spent three hours on my makeup. And then they demanded the lights be lowered, and lowered, and lowered, until I was in pitch black. They told the audience it was to protect my identity. Really, they just wanted a pretty face to represent humanity’s best chance and I couldn’t give it to them.”

I’ve seen that interview before. It’s a classic, one of the few victories we had in that war. He’s right, of course: They portrayed him as their secret weapon, the ultimate warrior against the vampires. Anything to keep our hopes up at the end. And it’s funny, because the dim lights worked. I always imagined he was some beautiful demigod, a vampire-slaying angel who came to save us all. With the lights on, the makeup off, he was just a man. Is just a man.

“That was twelve years ago,” he says. “And I’ve only gotten uglier.”

“You’re not ugly,” I say.

He laughs at my little attempt to make him feel better.

“I’m not trying to win a beauty contest,” he says.

“You could probably win the talent portion,” I say.

There’s a tense moment; then he smiles with me and we both laugh.

“You’re right. Not many people can do what I do.”

He taps his fingers on the metal stakes lined in the bandolier across his body. I count six. I imagine in a good fight that would mean six dead vampires.

“I knew your father, you know,” he says quietly.

My eyes nearly bug out of my head. My father knew the great Ian Hightower?

“It was after I’d killed Lord Percy. Your father was sent in to go through Percy’s manor. I don’t know what he was searching for—or even if he found it. There was probably no one who understood vampires more than your old man. But even all the knowledge he gained couldn’t help us defeat those bloodsuckers. I’m sorry he and your mother were killed.”

The words aren’t just rhetoric. I know he means them. “I still miss them.”

“That’ll never go away. Just don’t become like me.”

“A vampire hunter?”

One side of his mouth goes up in a grin. “No. Don’t stop getting close to people. But then you have loyal friends—they probably won’t let you go the lone-wolf path.”

There’s lightness in the air as we move on to dessert: a creamy coffee for me and brandy for him.

“So where does the train go after Los Angeles?” I ask.

“Normally up to Seattle, but this time we’ll be going straight back to Denver.”

“That’s not fair to Seattle.”

“Not much is fair anymore.”

I can tell the detour my mission will cause annoys him. After all, a train is supposed to run on schedule, and this drastic change will shift everything. It may take months to get all the deliveries lined up again. I wish it didn’t have to be that way.

He leans forward, crossing his arms on the table. “Okay, Dawn, enough games. Why is Clive sending the city’s delegate to Los Angeles?”

“I’m not the delegate anymore.”

He looks surprised at that.

“Roland Hursch is.”

“That bag of wind?”

I laugh. “You’ve met him?”

“Oh, yeah, he’s always telling me how awful I am at managing the train, the ‘lifeblood of the country,’ as he calls it. So if you’re not going as the delegate, are you following in your father’s footsteps, getting into intelligence work?”

In a way I suppose I am. Clive wanted my mission to be kept a secret, but not from Ian. We need his help and cooperation. “Are you familiar with the Thirst?”

He ponders my question for a moment, shakes his head. “Can’t say that I am.”

I remember Richard telling me that it was the vampires’ dirty little secret. “Do you ever run into vampires that seem completely out of control?”

“The Starving? At least that’s what I call them. It’s obvious they’re desperate for blood, and it isn’t pretty. The area around Los Angeles is rife with them. We make a point to arrive during daylight to avoid the rampaging hordes.”

“They’re not starving so much as infected.” I explain how the Infected become addicted to vampire blood. “Clive sent me to investigate what’s happening in Los Angeles. The city is safe, right?”

Ian thinks about it, nods.

“Then I need to learn how they’ve protected themselves, so if we’re confronted by the Thirst, we’ll be prepared.”

“The solution is more blood. That’s all.”

“But if the citizens refuse to donate, then …”

“Why would they do that? I mean, Denver has it the worst of any of the cities. You’re controlled by Lord Valen—ah, wait. The stationmaster mentioned that the Bloody Valentine was overthrown. His son is now holding the reins.”

I nod. “Victor.”

“I take it he isn’t as vicious as his father.”

“He wants cooperation,” I say. “Or, he did. I think he’s seeing things differently now that he’s actually Lord Valentine, instead of just Victor.”

“The idealism found in youth can quickly fade once power is obtained. Even for a vampire.”

“Yeah. Sadly, it can.” But Victor will be different. I believe in him with all my heart.

We always met our blood quotas, but only just. And we met them out of fear. Murdoch Valentine’s shadow fell across the city even when the sun was up, one that chilled the bone, froze the heart. People felt his presence at all times, even if no one spoke his name.

Victor and I used to talk on my balcony about a better world, and the one thing we could agree on was that fear was no way to control a city. We were convinced that cooperation between humans and vampires would achieve so much more. We were convinced it would encourage people to donate. I hate to think that we were wrong this whole time, and that Murdoch Valentine was right: Fear rules above all else.

W
hen I enter my VIP room—Christopher right on my heels because he was waiting for me outside the dining car—Tegan hops out of her chair. “How was dinner with Ian?”

“Fine,” I say, not wanting to go into details with Christopher here. I may have let Ian in on my mission, but that doesn’t mean his protégé needs to know.

“Then let’s go party!” Tegan says cheerfully.

“I want to change—”

“You look fantastic,” she says, grabbing my arm. “We’re already going to be late enough as it is.”

I want to tell her that I’m not here to have a good time, but where’s the harm in a little innocent fun? Besides, it’ll be nice to forget everything for a while, to pretend that we’re on an exciting adventure, exploring the world.

“Let’s go.”

I look over at Christopher as he holds the door open.

“I’m surprised you’re okay with us doing this,” I say.

He just shrugs. “It’s a party; the kids here have all the time in the world and little to do, so they need to fight the boredom. Besides, it’s safe. It isn’t like a party in one of your cities, where vampires show up every time and kill half the people.”

We pass through a few cars of sleeper berths. No one’s walking the hallways. It must be really late, most everyone asleep. As we approach the lounge car, I can hear the music thumping through the metal door. When I open it, the sound blasting into me almost rattles my teeth.

It’s dark inside, flashing strobe lights giving it a surreal feel. It’s also crowded with a lot of young people.

“Hey! You made it,” a guy says as he comes up to us. As far as I can tell he has short-cropped blond hair.

Tegan greets him with a hug and introduces him as Jake. Beside him is a guy with dark hair and rings piercing each eyebrow.

“This is my friend Doug,” Jake says. “So y’all got on in Denver, right?”

“That’s right,” Tegan says, smiling brightly.

“Y’all part of the redistribution process?” Doug asks.

The VampHu treaty stated that the vampires would strive to keep the population in the cities balanced, but I’ve never known anyone who was identified for “redistribution” from Denver. The old Valentine wasn’t concerned with the other cities. He was powerful enough that he wasn’t intimidated by the Vampire Council that oversees the fourteen Old Families and the management of our country.

“No,” Tegan says. “We’re just going to Los Angeles for a few days. Don’t know that I’ve ever heard of redistribution.”

“Dallas has a lot of people,” Jake says. “Apparently Los Angeles is in short supply, so they asked for volunteers. We decided we wanted to see what other parts of the country looked like.”

I’m wondering if the people in Los Angeles have decided to start donating blood again—or are these guys going to be delivered straight to Lord Carrollton, kicked off the train right outside his manor?

“Booze is free. Help yourself,” Doug says.

We head over to the bar. Michael gets us each a beer. Tegan grabs hers, then joins Jake and Doug on the dance floor. Christopher starts talking to a tall brunette. Michael and I back away into a corner. He takes a chug of beer while I slowly sip mine.

“‘Redistribution’—that word always bugged me,” he says after a while. “It’s like vampires just see us as commodities.”

“Yeah, unfortunately, most do.”

“All of them do.”

“Victor isn’t like other vampires.” I’m watching the people gyrating on the dance floor. The slowly flashing lights are starting to give me a headache. I see flaming red hair—

It can’t be. But the next moment it’s gone before I can be sure. I search the crowd. I catch a glimpse of a guy, a narrow braid of hair hanging down one side of his face.

Crap!

“Want to dance?” Michael asks.

“Sure,” I say automatically, still wondering if the impossible really followed me onto this train.

We both finish off our beers and grab another before we wind our way toward a small empty space between people. I see Tegan smiling brightly, laughing, and I’m glad she seems more like her pre-Sin self. I turn my attention to the rest of the room, looking—

“You okay?” Michael asks.

“Oh, yeah.”
Gotcha!
I think when I see the couple who caught my attention earlier standing against a far wall. “I’ll be right back.”

I’ve barely taken a step away when another girl wiggles in front of Michael. I can’t blame her for her interest and realize that she’ll keep him distracted for a moment.

I march over to the brown-haired guy and the redheaded girl. They don’t look surprised to see me, but then vampires aren’t known for giving away their emotions.

“What are you guys doing here?” I whisper, grateful vampires have such keen hearing so I don’t have to yell to be heard above the music.

“Heading home,” Richard says, leaning in so I can hear him.

“Sightseeing,” Faith says.

Yeah, right. Do they really think I’m that stupid? I give them a pointed glare.

“Victor’s orders,” Richard admits. “Faith and I are to protect you.”

But even with his spies Victor didn’t have time—

And then it hits me. “How long have you been following me?”

“Ever since you left the hospital.”

I should’ve known Victor wouldn’t let me out of his sights that easily.

“How did you even get tickets?” I ask.

“It’s amazing what large sums of cash can buy at a moment’s notice,” Richard says.

“Why didn’t you try to stop me?”

“Our orders were not to interfere with your life. Just follow and protect.”

“What about Sin?” I ask. “With him running free, causing havoc, shouldn’t you two be protecting Victor?”

“If Sin comes after you,” Richard says, “he
is
going after Victor. Nothing will bring Victor out faster than you being in danger.”

I feel like a pawn being moved across the board. It’s always the vampires’ game; I’m just a piece in it. Or worse, a bargaining chip.

“Do you know how dangerous it is for you to be here?” I ask.

Faith scoffs. “Please, the most dangerous thing so far is this outdated décor.”

“Ian Hightower is dangerous.”

“No, he
was
dangerous. He’s a washed-up alcoholic now, probably hasn’t staked a vamp in years. The guy’s thirty-eight years old and he looks sixty—talk about letting yourself go.”

A vampire’s arrogance, always her greatest weakness. I look over at Richard. He’s at least a little more humble than Faith, but he doesn’t seem very concerned, either.

“Ian wants the train to arrive without any incidents,” Richard says. “So do we. Really, we’re on the same side.”

I don’t know if I buy his logic, but so long as I have them here, something has been bothering me.